Auburn-Oxford Routes 12-20 construction project behind schedule

Friday

Jun 20, 2014 at 11:06 PM

By Brian Lee TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

A project to reconstruct more than 1.3 miles of Routes 12 and 20 in Auburn and Oxford is about four months behind schedule, but contractor A.F. Amorello & Sons Inc. & Subsidiary has indicated it can gain ground during the fall, state Department of Transportation spokesman Sara Lavoie said.

The project, originally approved 10 years ago, started in May 2013 and is less than a third of the way finished, the state said.

It had been slated for completion in April 2015, but the revised substantial completion date is August 2015, Ms. Lavoie said this week.

The lost time has been due to unforeseen reinforced concrete excavation in the detention basin area and utility relocation, she said.

"Overall, the project has been able to move forward despite utility relocation issues," she said.

"The contractor anticipates recovering time lost this fall, to move the substantial completion date much closer to its original completion date in April of 2015."

Both Verizon and National Grid have relocated 85 percent of the cables and wires to new utility poles, while Charter has relocated 80 percent of cables and wires to new utility poles, she said.

The remaining portions of lines that need to be relocated are primarily within a half-mile section eastbound on Route 20, the state said.

A.F. Amorello won the more than $6.5 million job. More than $2.2 million had been expended as of Tuesday, Ms. Lavoie said.

The project aims to widen the approximately 46-foot road to 64 feet, add dedicated turning lanes, and provide additional pavement beyond the typical roadway edge at intersections where U-turns are allowed. This will accommodate vehicles with a larger turning radius, the spokeswoman said.

In addition, there will be new traffic signals at multiple locations. A 4- to 12-foot-wide median island throughout the length of the project will be added, and a 4- to 6-foot paved shoulder will be created, Ms. Lavoie said.

Granite curbing, new 5½ -foot sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, wheelchair ramps at intersections and a new stormwater management system with "deep sump hooded catch basins," three water quality swales and one detention basin will all be added.

The project has been known to slow traffic during the weekday morning commute headed to and from Interstates 290 and 395. But Auburn Department of Public Works Director William A. Coyle Sr. said he has received minimal complaints about the project, which is mostly in Auburn — 1.1 of the 1.3 miles.

The lack of complaining "bodes well for MassDOT, because typically I'd be the first person they would call," Mr. Coyle said. "Just a handful of concerns passed along to me over the past several months."

The four-lane divided highway will be "beautiful when it's done," Mr. Coyle said, noting the plan for brick-stamped crosswalks and some brick-stamped median sections.

In addition to an improved sidewalk for pedestrian and those on wheelchairs, Mr. Coyle said the divider would be "a huge improvement for safety along that corridor."

The town official said the plan also calls for adding a traffic signal at the intersection of Hill Street, which will improve safety and accommodate turning movements.

"People will be able to reverse direction at that intersection and the 12-20 intersections."

There will also be a pickup and drop-off area for Worcester Regional Transit Authority buses, he said.